Texans @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Preseason #1

[yezzir]

I feel the same way! Of course they've got to put it all together but looking good so far.

I agree with both of you. We are definitely on the upswing.

[mondry]

Meaningless? No. Meaningful? No. Somewhere in the middle? Maybe.

It's about keeping things in perspective. A lot of fans are all or nothing, rather than sensible and logical.

And from my perspective, it was 2 passes in the first preseason game...no matter what the results were, it is still just 2 passes in the first preseason game. I'm not convinced that means anything for the season moving forward. It's simply too early to form a logical argument either way. I'll be saying the same thing throughout the preseason, too. PREseason. Others might soak up a good showing by Ponder next week, though. Wouldn't put too much stock in it, though.

haha very well said. Imagine if Cassel had to stop after his 9th throw for whatever reason. At that point we would have seen him go 4 for 9, 1 sack, 1 int. Instead he gets to play the game out and has a solid outing after getting warmed up and in a rhythm which Ponder didn't get to do. It's unfortunate how it played out, that's about it.

[yezzir]

haha very well said. Imagine if Cassel had to stop after his 9th throw for whatever reason. At that point we would have seen him go 4 for 9, 1 sack, 1 int. Instead he gets to play the game out and has a solid outing after getting warmed up and in a rhythm which Ponder didn't get to do. It's unfortunate how it played out, that's about it.

True. And most teams hide defensive schemes more than offensive schemes in the preseason.

[jackal]

Wow, Ponder was disengaged on the sidelines during a random moment in the first preseason game? NOW we can panic!

Here's what I've learned: many, many fans are actively looking for reasons to dislike and complain about Ponder. It is absolutely mind-boggling that he has become THE main topic of conversation after a preseason game in which he played two snaps.

Watch the other leaders on the team Peterson ramping up the OL before the game Jarad Allan talking to the rookies as the come off the field..

Ponder I didn't see do any of these things, I am not a Ponder hater; A QB has to be a leader on and off the field.
Watch Tom Brady when the team is on the sidelines he will go up and down the side lines pumping guys up...

Preseason or not Ponder was not there emotionally or mentally and to me that matters

[King James]

Someone tell me this, when has the starting QB ever shined in the 1st game of the preseason?? Unless there was a QB battle for the starting battle for 1st string QB, you wont see much from the starters. You have to also keep in mind that most starters don't even play in the first pre-season game, some won't even play at all until week 1.

I know everyone is anxious to see if Ponder has gotten any better or not, but now is too early to tell. Yes Cassel had a good game, mainly because he got a lot of playing time. And Cassel didn't come in blasing, he started off slow and threw a pick too. But by him staying in he got a chance to redeem himself. Im sure Ponder could have done the same if he was had more snaps.

[PacificNorseWest]

[PurpleKoolaid]

lol

[Mothman]

Watch the other leaders on the team Peterson ramping up the OL before the game Jarad Allan talking to the rookies as the come off the field..

Ponder I didn't see do any of these things, I am not a Ponder hater; A QB has to be a leader on and off the field.
Watch Tom Brady when the team is on the sidelines he will go up and down the side lines pumping guys up...

Preseason or not Ponder was not there emotionally or mentally and to me that matters

He wasn't there emotionally in a shot you saw on TV but there's no way to know what he was thinking so speaking to his mental state is a stretch.

If you go to any game and watch the sidelines you'll see many, many players have moments like that. I don't think it means anything and drawing conclusions about a player's leadership ability or overall engagement in games from the brief glimpses we get of them on the sidelines on television is a dubious idea.

[Mothman]

LOL! That's the perfect GIF for this thread.

[Tark10]

One more word on Game #1. It appeared Ponder was going to Simpson with his second pass without looking at the defense at all. Looked like Wright and Rudolph were wide open to his left. Some of what I see from Ponder reminds me of David Carr. Carr could not read defenses in Houston, so they shortened the pass plays. My verdict is still out on Ponder, but I do have my fingers crossed. Two franchise quarterbacks in 50 plus years isn't enough....Culpepper showed his true self after Moss was gone.

[Tark10]

One more item for thought. If we see 6-plus passes along the line of srimmage like last year then I'll know we're in trouble. I think Ponder had 53 or so yards against Detroit last year on the road. Oh... How I miss Francis..

[Mothman]

One more word on Game #1. It appeared Ponder was going to Simpson with his second pass without looking at the defense at all. Looked like Wright and Rudolph were wide open to his left.

As the announcers said, that's a timing route so in all likelihood, Ponder was throwing based on a pre-snap read. He also had an unblocked blitzer bearing down on him so it's not like he had time to scan the field.

As the announcers also pointed out on the broadcast, because it's a timing route, it's not clear whether Ponder put the ball a little too far in front of Simpson or if Simpson was a little too slow getting out of his break. Ah, the subtleties of football...

[Just Me]

One more item for thought. If we see 6-plus passes along the line of srimmage like last year then I'll know we're in trouble. I think Ponder had 53 or so yards against Detroit last year on the road. Oh... How I miss Francis..

Ponder's 2 passes were not the LOS passes, though. And the one pass along the line of scrimmage that I remember was the Cassel-Line TD. So maybe it is an offensive strategy (rather than a perceived QB limitation) that seems to work well for the Vikings. At least it did in that case. Just a thought...

[Mothman]

Ponder's 2 passes were not the LOS passes, though. And the one pass along the line of scrimmage that I remember was the Cassel-Line TD. So maybe it is an offensive strategy (rather than a perceived QB limitation) that seems to work well for the Vikings. At least it did in that case. Just a thought...

I have no doubt that it's an offensive strategy, not an indication of QB limitations. Musgrave has deep roots in the west coast offense and among other things, that offense employs a short passing game with numerous plays intended to pick up yardage almost like running plays. Those quick passes along the LoS function almost like long handoffs.

I don't see why 6-plus passes along the line of scrimmage would be an indication of trouble. As long as they help keep the chains moving, they're fine with me. How they move the ball doesn't matter, as long as they move it effectively and score.

[Texas Vike]

It's like Ponder has become the anti-Bieber for a horde of angst ridden teenagers.

Great analogy; That's exactly it.